Chuck Berry arrests: The dark side of a rock and roll pioneer – Far Out Magazine
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There is certainly an argument for separating the art from the artist, especially given so many creatives have such disturbing backgrounds. Few people disagree with the notion that just because an actor or a musician has done something wrong, their work can’t still be enjoyed. What is controversial is how there seems to be no consistency with who should be subject to criticism and who shouldn’t. For instance, though a great musician, the arrest of Chuck Berry is very rarely mentioned.
When he passed away, the praise thrown in Chuck Berry’s direction mimicked what people said about him in life. He was a musical pioneer and responsible for the shape that rock and roll took on. Undoubtedly, music would be different today if it were not for Chuck Berry. That’s all true, but many elements of his life were left out, including his multiple arrests.
The first time that Chuck Berry was arrested was in 1959. He was charged with taking Janice Escalanti, a 14-year-old girl, across state lines for “immoral purposes”. Berry was found guilty and subsequently spent two years in prison. The charges didn’t stop his music career and, to this day, are not as widely acknowledged as other people who have been found guilty of similar crimes.
Many would argue that this charge is more of a product of the time and that morals were different. While that still doesn’t stand to reason, given that he broke the law in his actions, his second arrest was more recent and just as frowned upon now as it would have been when it was committed.
Chuck Berry owned a restaurant called Southern Air in the 1980s. Here, he was found guilty of installing a camera in the women’s toilet and keeping videotapes of customers and staff members. Eventually, a former cook, Hosana A. Huck, came forward with allegations of Berry’s wrongdoing, and a police search found several different videotapes in the musician’s home. Berry was arrested and charged with a class action lawsuit against 59 different women, which he eventually settled, receiving only a suspended sentence.
It’s interesting that the details surrounding Chuck Berry’s two arrests aren’t as well known as they are for other people who work in entertainment, especially since there tends to be a general attitude that the sins of the artist don’t render their art taboo. People can still enjoy Chuck Berry’s music despite his past, but it should, without question, be acknowledged more than it is.
Chuck Berry is one of the most influential guitarists in history, but his legacy doesn’t come without controversy. The musician was arrested twice for inexcusable acts, which have not only recently come to fruition or become controversial, given he was arrested and charged for both at the time they were committed. His music can still be widely enjoyed, but his arrests should become more common knowledge.
